Background information

The measure for the schooling of Ukrainian children in public schools is included among the rights granted to Ukrainian refugees within the general temporary protection policy of the Republic of Cyprus but the existing legislation (Law 24(1)1993) for the compulsory schooling of children as well. On 13, April 2022, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth announced that the Ministry made all arrangements for the accommodation of the Ukrainian children in all levels of education in public schools.

Content of measure

The measure provides for the schooling of all refugee children from Ukraine in public schools of all levels of education. The Administrative Notice of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth addressed to school directors of all educational levels, which regulates the registration and accommodation of Ukrainian children, firstly highlights that schooling of children in Cyprus from 4.8 years to 15 years of age is compulsory. The instructions of the Notice provide that Ukrainian children are allowed to register in the schools of their residence area or in other schools of their educational region. For the Secondary Education, the above is applied taken that these students speak the Greek language; otherwise, students should register in schools where there is a running Greek language support programme for migrant students. Apart from language courses, all children are eligible to register for support afternoon classes and use the Educational Psychology Service and the Career Counselling and Educational Service of the Ministry.

In parallel, the Ministry in collaboration with the Embassy of Ukraine in Cyprus proceeded the arrangements for the asynchronous study of Ukrainian children that seek to continue attending the educational programme of the Ministry of Education of Ukraine in parallel with their schooling in Cyprus.

Use of measure

The total number of children registered in public schools of all educational levels by 13 May 2022 is 282. From the total number, 223 children registered in primary education, from which 57 in pre-primary schools and 166 in primary. Additionally, 59 Ukrainian children registered in secondary education, of which 50 in Gymnasium and 9 in Lyceum. By district, 98 children registered in primary and secondary schools in the district of Limassol, 81 in the district of Paphos, 78 in the districts of Larnaca and Famagusta (in the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus) and 25 in the district of Nicosia. The expression of interest for the parallel asynchronous study seems very limited, only three children expressed an interest to follow, of which two in primary and one in secondary educational level.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Children (minors) Migrants or refugees

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

After the decision of the Cabinet for the temporary protection policy for Ukrainian refugees, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth announced the measure, no previous consultation with the educational organizations preceded the decision. The measure is implemented by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the school directors of the primary and secondary education; social partners are not involved in the process of implementing or monitoring the measure.

Views and reactions

No public reactions of the educational social partners have been identified. However, as it has been reported in personal contacts, the educational organizations are very supportive of the measure, which is in line with their own policy framework for the integration of all migrant children in public schools and the recommendations that they provided to the Ministry for this purpose. The educational organizations pay particular attention to the support of children for the learning of the Greek language and reported their readiness to contribute voluntarily, where it is necessary, to meet this end as they did in other cases of migrant children that entered public schools in the past.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 13 April 2022: Διευθετήσεις για την φοίτηση των παιδιών από την Ουκρανία για τη φοίτηση των παιδιών από την Ουκρανία στα δημόσια σχολεία (enimerosi.moec.gov.cy)
• 19 May 2022: Law 24(1)1993 (www.cylaw.org)